|
Berthoud, Colorado-based Ursa Major's testing is the latest
achievement by U.S. companies scrambling to build more advanced
engines for missiles and spacecraft that American officials see
as crucial deterrents to threats from adversaries such as
hypersonic weapons - those that move more than five times the
speed of sound - in and beyond Earth's atmosphere.
The Draper engine is also designed for maneuverable spacecraft
in Earth's orbit, as geopolitical tensions rise with nations
including Russia and China that are enhancing their
anti-satellite systems and testing satellites capable of zipping
across multiple orbits.
Ursa Major, which announced the project in May 2023, said its
development is ahead of schedule.
"We're excited with how quickly the development program has
progressed and look forward to fielding the engine for
hypersonics and in-space applications in the coming years," Brad
Appel, Ursa Major's chief technology officer, said in a
statement, noting that the work was supported by a contract from
the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.
The Draper engine, which features a 4,000-pound (1,800 kg)thrust
with storable liquid fuel, is designed for maneuvering objects
into new orbits and simulating hypersonic threats. The rocket is
named for a character in the sci-fi novel series, "The Expanse."
The successful testing, conducted in Colorado, has positioned
Ursa Major to continue its aggressive development campaign, with
aims to enter the U.S. government's testing protocol soon.
(Reporting by Mike Stone and Joey Roulette in Washington;
Editing by Will Dunham)
[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
